A father-of-two who died after being bitten by a bat has been identified, with his grieving wife claiming health authorities are still ‘grappling’ with how medical treatment failed to save his life.
Craig ‘Zeb’ Nolte, 56, tried to free the bat – which had flown into the verandah of his Ballina home and gotten trapped – when he was bitten in October last year.
The carpenter by trade contracted the Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) from the bite, which marked the first case of the virus in NSW.
His wife Robyn, who operates a childcare centre in Ballina, confirmed he received a prophylaxis immunoglobulin injection after he was bitten by the animal.
‘NSW Health [is] still grappling in their words [about] how this happened that the injection didn’t work,’ she wrote in a post to social media on Wednesday.
‘RIP my love my best friend.’
NSW Health confirmed he received initial treatment but later developed symptoms and fell into a critical condition.
On Wednesday, it offered its ‘sincere condolences’ to friends and family and said an investigation was underway into the circumstances surrounding his illness.
Father-of-two Craig Nolte (pictured) died after being bitten by a bat in November last year
Ms Nolte (left) is mourning the loss of her ‘best friend’ and husband
‘Post-exposure prophylaxis for lyssavirus exposure includes both immunoglobulin and at least four vaccines given over several weeks,’ it said.
‘The treatment is very safe and has been proven worldwide to be highly effective.’
Friends have described Mr Nolte as a hard-working father with a passion for the outdoors.
On July 1, a friend shared news on social media Mr Nolte was on life support and ‘has only a few days left’.
‘I had a surf with [Mr Nolte] couple of months ago. He was full of life and keen to get into the water more,’ one man replied.
‘I’m in disbelief’, a woman said.
Mr Nolte’s was the fourth case of the virus recorded in Australia.
It has no known cure and the other three cases also died, including an eight-year-old Queensland boy in 2013.
Mr Nolte is pictured alongside his wife Robyn prior to his tragic passing
ABLV is closely related to the rabies virus and is typically transmitted through the bite or scratch of an infected animal.
The tragedy has prompted renewed warnings to avoid touching or handling bats.
‘When a bat is injured or in distress, do not try to rescue it. Contact experts at your local wildlife rescue group, which has trained staff who can deal with bats safely,’ NSW Health said.
Large colonies of native bats are known to inhabit several areas across Sydney, including Centennial Park, Burnt Bridge Creek in Balgowlah, and Parramatta Park.
More to come.
